SN 7.10.2021

The Sun and News, Saturday, July 10, 2021/ Page 5

Middleville planners recommend approval of marijuana ordinance

Greg Chandler

Staff Writer

An ordinance that would

allow marijuana-based

businesses in the village of

Middleville is one step closer

to final approval.

The village planning

commission Tuesday voted

5-0 to recommend approval

of an ordinance that would

allow marijuana-based retail

businesses – both for

recreational and medical use

• as a special land use in
  highway commercial-zoned
  areas of the village, primarily
  along M-37.

The ordinance also would

allow marijuana growing

operations in industrial-

zoned areas, primarily on the

north side of the village, as a

special land-use designation

that would have to be

approved by the planning

commission.

“We’re not regulating

every business. We’re

regulating controlled-

substance businesses,” said

Mike Cramer, the village

council’s representative on

the planning commission.

“While it’s not federally

legal, it’s legal in the state as

a controlled substance. It’s

the same way we regulate a

liquor license, which is a

controlled substance. It’s the

same way we regulate a

pharmacy that has controlled

substances.”

Commissioners have

been working to develop the

ordinance language since

January 2020, when they

were directed by the village

council to work on an

ordinance. The commission’s

vote came one week after a

public hearing at Thornapple

Kellogg High School that

drew less than 20 people,

only four of whom spoke.

The ordinance now goes

to the village council for

final action. A vote could

take place Aug. 10 or 24,

village Planning and Zoning

Administrator Brian

Urquhart said.

In addition, the council

must approve a second

ordinance that places a limit

on how many marijuana

licenses would be allowed in

the village. The council has

discussed a limit of no more

than five licenses, including

no more than two retail

licenses, which could be

used for both recreational

and medical marijuana sales.

That action also is expected

in August.

“To me, getting this here

is meeting a need for the

people that need it medically,

and if we have to bring

[recreational] retail in, so be

it,” Cramer said. “People

shouldn’t have to suffer. This

is a viable source of medical

treatment that’s not a pile of

chemicals that somebody

pushed through.

“I get it. As a parent, I

don’t want my kids getting

this stuff. If they do, I’m

going to have to talk with

them about it. But that’s my

responsibility as a parent.

That’s not a business’

responsibility to make sure

that I parent my kids ...

We’re putting in every

restriction that we can and

while still allowing them to

have a viable business and

make a profit.”

No marijuana licenses

would be issued for the

downtown area.

Recreational marijuana,

medical marijuana

provisioning centers and

microbusinesses would be

allowed as special land uses

in highway commercial-

zoned areas of the village.

Recreational marijuana

growing operations would be

allowed in both the light

industrial and heavy

industrial-zoned districts.

Secure transporter and safety

compliance facilities would

be allowed in both highway

commercial and industrial-

zoned districts, according to

the ordinance language.

In addition, anyone

seeking a special land use

would be required to go

through a site-plan review

process with the planning

commission, according to the

ordinance language.

Marijuana businesses

would not be allowed to open

between 9 p.m. and 9 a.m.

“The restrictions that we

have are reasonable. They

are within state guidelines,”

planning commission

chairman Jason Holzhausen

said.

Commissioners added

the word “existing” to a

provision in the ordinance

that would forbid a

marijuana-based business

within 1,000 feet of a school,

church or licensed child care

facility. Commissioners

briefly discussed what would

happen if the village received

a request for a school or

church to operate within the

1,000-foot limit of an

existing marijuana-based

operation.

“You don’t want to sit

there and say ‘Oh, wait, this

[school or church] came in

and we can’t renew your

license,” Urquhart said.

Voters in Middleville

supported Proposal 1, the

statewide ballot measure that

legalized the use of marijuana

for recreational purposes, in

November 2018. Sixty

percent of the voters in that

election – 793 voters in total

• voted to approve the
  proposal, while 528 voters
  voted no. In Barry County,
  the proposal passed by 388
  votes, 13,593-13,205,
  according to county election
  records.

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Middleville to discuss dog
park proposal Tuesday
Greg Chandler
Staff Writer
The Middleville Village
Council will discuss plans
for a new dog park at the end
of Sherman Street next
Tuesday.
Village leaders and the
Thornapple Area Parks and
Recreation Commission
have been working together
to craft a proposal for the
new park, which would be
near Lee Elementary School.
The project would be
completed in three phases,
Village Manager Patricia
Rayl said during Tuesday’s
committee-of-the-whole
meeting.
The first phase of the
project calls for development
of a more than 80,000-square-
foot fenced-in enclosure
where dogs can run. About
75,000 square feet would be
reserved for larger dogs,
while another 6,500 square
feet would be set aside for
smaller or timid dogs,
according to village
documents.
The opening phase also
would include installation of
a permanent water line with
a tap so dogs could get a
drink. Entry gates into the
park and gravel parking also
are included in the plan.
“As funds and time are
available, extra things would
be added with the other
phases,” Rayl said.
The first phase of the
project has an estimated cost
of more than $48,500, which
would include 5-foot-high
fencing. The project has
received $22,000 in private
and in-kind donations to
offset a portion of the project
cost, according to village
documents.
Future improvements to
the site could include a
shelter, benches, trees and an
agility course, according to
village documents.
The meeting will take place
at 7 p.m. at the Village Hall,
100 E. Main St.
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